There are four prophetic words God spoke to me that should give us direction on how to live in 2022. They are:
A, Expect blessings in “unlikely places”
B, 2022 will be a year of plenty
C, Be a problem solver in 2022
D, Faith in God is the key to living in 2022
EXPECT BLESSINGS FROM UNLIKELY PLACES
A, In 2022 God says we should “expect blessings in unlikely places.”
Israel experienced blessings in the wilderness. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN AND WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS? The wilderness is a harsh environment, a place of scarcity, drought, and lack. But, due to God’s grace and presence, Israel experienced blessings and abundance in the wilderness. The wilderness is an “unlikely place” where you find blessings
God loves to produce some of his best in the places we least expect, don’t be so surprised when God makes or turns the forgotten places in our lives or the experiences of our lives into his chosen channels of our greatest good.
IMPLICATIONS: SEVEN EXAMPLES OF BLESSINGS IN “UNLIKELY PLACES”. CAN ANY GOOD COME FROM AN “UNLIKELY PLACE?”
1, Let me use Nazareth as an example.
Nazareth fits that description of an ‘unlikely place.’ The Judaean simply looked down upon Nazareth as the urban inhabitant of a great city is supposed to look down upon a backward settlement. Therefore, the Jews would have little to do with this place and largely despised it.
Nazareth not only meant a more out-of-the-way, rural, even backwater life than “up” in Jerusalem, but “Nazarene” would be a stigma he would carry the rest of his life.
When Philip of Bethsaida said to Nathanael, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. “And Nathanael said unto him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.” (John 1:45–46.).
From Nazareth, an ‘unlikely place’ came the Saviour, the Miracle worker, the Healer, the Deliverer, the life-giver, the One who has become the reference point of the history of the world. Does this not remind you of the words of Paul in 1 Cor.1:26-29:
1 Corinthians 1:26-29:
[26] For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. [27] But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; [28] God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, [29] so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
As a Miracle worker, he healed many.
As Saviour, he took upon himself the sins of humanity.
As healer, he healed many of their sicknesses
As deliverer, he delivered many from demons
2, LEAH IS A HUMAN EXAMPLE OF BLESSINGS IN AN “UNLIKELY PLACE.”
Leah was the mother of six of Jacob’s sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, and Judah; Judah was the ancestor of King David and, according to the New Testament, of Jesus.
Leah’s story starts in Genesis 29. Jacob’s uncle, Laban, had two daughters. Leah, the eldest, had eyes that were “delicate.” Rachel, with whom Jacob fell in love, was Laban’s younger daughter; and she “was beautiful of form and appearance” (Genesis 29:16-17).
Jacob agreed to serve Laban seven years for the opportunity to marry Rachel. At the end of the seven years, there was a marriage feast, with its usual eating and drinking. Laban deceptively gave Leah, instead of Rachel, to Jacob.
The text tells us little about Leah’s physical beauty but a great deal about her inner strength, her loyalty to her husband Jacob and her humility. She is the first woman to give thanks to God for allowing her safely to bear children, and of Jacob’s 12 sons, six shall come from his union with Leah. From the unloved Leah came six patriarchs of Israel.
3, HAGAR FOUND WATER, SYMBOLIZING LIFE AND REFRESHMENT IN AN UNLIKELY PLACE, IN THE WILDERNESS. Gen.21:14-21
4, IN 1 KINGS 17:8-16, ELIJAH WAS FED BY A RAVEN AT THE BROOK OF CHERITH. WHEN THE BROOK DRIED, GOD SENT HIM TO THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH IN SIDON FOR SUSTENANCE RATHER THAN A WELL KNOWN RICH LADY. Note the faith of this widow in believing the prophet. Because of her faith in the prophet, her last meal lasted her all through the famine period.
Because of the obedience of this widow to feed Elijah with the little flour and oil that she had. God multiplied the remaining flour and oil that she had enough food all through the period of famine.
5, ELISHA AND THE WIDOW
2 Kings 4:1-7, And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” [3] Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. [4] Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” [5] So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. [6] When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. [7] She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”
6, JESUS FED FIVE THOUSAND MEN IN A DESERTED PLACE, A BARREN LAND WITH FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISHES.
7, THE ISLAND OF PATMOS WAS A HARSH PLACE, A PLACE OF GREAT INCONVENIENCE AND SUFFERING, YET THIS WAS WHERE JOHN RECEIVED THE REVELATION OF GOD’S END-TIME PROGRAMME,
8, In the life of Joseph we find instances of help from “unlikely places.” The Ishmaelites rescued Joseph from his brothers when they bought him over. In the prison, God also provided him with help from unexpected sources. Joseph obtained favour from the warden of the prison. Rather than be harsh to Joseph he kept everything which is in prison in his care (Gen.39:20-23). After many years, Jacob’s children also got help from Joseph, an “unlikely source” not knowing that it was Joseph their brother.
DON’T LOOK DOWN ON PEOPLE, DON’T LOOK DOWN ON PLACES, DON’T LOOK DOWN ON THE DOORS AND OPPORTUNITIES GOD WILL BRING YOUR WAY IN 2022. Despise not the day of small beginnings. LET US LOOK OUT FOR THE MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD’S PROPHETIC WORD.
Contact: pastoracuKachi@gmail.com
